There are several reasons to study ethics. All of us use
ethics on a daily basis. “Ethics” is not some term grabbed
out of thin air by philosophers trying to build castles in
the air. Many individuals do not know what ethical behavior
is. This course is not aimed at any one group or agency;
anyone who lives or works on the reservation could benefit
from this course. You will find yourself challenged to
think about ethical decisions, you will have an opportunity
to study the ethical decisions made and behaviors modeled
by our ancestors.

No matter what your past experiences or educational level,
you are never too old to learn. We have all heard the old
sayings, you can’t teach an old dogs new tricks, and a
leopard doesn’t change his spots. Indeed, I often hear
tribal members saying something to the effect, it doesn’t
matter who is elected they will (fill in the blank). It is
true that important changes never come easily, but change
is possible.

Studying ethics is one way of recapturing our heritage. Why
teach ethics? This question would have confused our
ancestors. Ethics were an inherent part of their daily
lives. Today, however, we live in a different time, a time
when ethical behavior appears to have diminished in our
culture. As a result, an ethics course is appropriate,
valuable and useful.